Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-05
THE DEVILS GRAVEYARD.


H1f ever die with my boots on, boys, I'd
like for 90 hev yer plant me up thar in the
Devils Graveyard, jest whar the shadder
from ole Skullcap teches at sunrise. I've put
IL to my pard an he's promised TO see TO 1t,
bat one can't most alters tell what's goin to
happen in this world, am he's as apt to ker-
9lunk as be. ! reckon the camp kin afford
tc DO that much for the man what struck
color here fust. swar that I'll come back
and ha'nt the hull cussed lot of We if yer
sionti We hear me now-Jest at sunrise,
right at the pint of the shadder."
Lord, Jim, we can't think but what we'd
all he mighty glad to dothat for YET uttered
i,urly miner, reproachfully, and the senti-
snent was indorsed 10y an enthusiastic "Ycu
iret!n from the crowd
And now Jim Hardtack had died with his
locots on-not in the regular way, exactly,
NV having daylight let through him;' no,
Jim simply failed to show up one evening i'll
his usual place at the Skin-mequick bar
room, and the boys. after some waiting and
wondering, sailed forth to besiege his cabin
ana found him just as he had returned from
-Yorb, with a knife III one hand and a fitch of
bacon on the plank table before him, sitting
-oit upright in his chair, stone dead.
The first thought was of foul play, but eX-
salination failed to show so much rs scratch
upon him, 50 it was concluded that he had
,l1d a stroke of some kind; it mattered little
20 these rough men what the cause OF his
ielth might have been; that he was dead was
enough; funeral was in order, and it was
-heir duty to see that his wishes were carried
vat
"Sort O hard on Fishy not to be here now"
s.7id one, abiding to Haidtacks partner.
Fishy was off on tramp--he was given to
Gr5imping-and if the truth had been told it
was he, and not Jim Hardtack, who had To-
ca1ed these diggings; but Fishy was a mild,
litsle inoffensive man. who would have been
"Pqt upon" by the camp but for the fact that
i2e was under Jim's protecting care.
Reckon we don't need to wait for hing
commented another OF the boys in half
questioning tone.
t.In course not. Who's to tell when he'll
~ back? Wen all on us keep Jim here COM
pany tonight an give him the best layout
we know how in the mornn'"
So it was arranged. They were not in the
'r1abit of letting the grass grow under their
feat when they had anything to do in the
''cr.np, from running out an undesirable citi-
-Es-. or hanging horse thief to this matter of
doing honor to the camps founder, as they all
considered him, and if they relieved the
,edium of the night by numerous games of
SlSupe dUC tlIdN IlDhtT IL was Ill llO SplIlJ
OF levity or disregard for the dead 1t was
aHother token of the favor i'll which he was
bead that every man there took his turn to
drive q nail into the rough pine box which
gas TO do duty as coffin
With the first gray of the breaking dawn
they formed into a procession and tramped
a3berly up the steep trail to the little TRAN
t.llar strip of ground which was known as
mo Devils Graveyard. Not that his Satanic
Majesty or any one else had ever occupied it
Es :. burial place, but it was thicky strewn
with fragments of whitish rock which were
Suggestive of tombstones, and SO the name
.sssj been given to it. They came out upon
iks small plateau before the sun broke
through the msts of the morning ard stood
,s.rJlt in groups until the red and yellow
streaRs changed to one full burst of golden
gijty, Then two of the miners seized upon
their spades and began to dig at the edge of
fHs shadow which was cast by the rounded
.7-es5 Of old Sllullcap,
1t was hard work in that dry, rocky soil,
md the sun was shining hot before the task
T8ss done. There was a momentary pause i'll
.La proceedings, and then Dan Mullen stepped
20 the head of the open grave.
ais any of you boys parson enough to say a
lit Of pra'r3 Not! Wal, couldn't tackle
" L
.4eern to be jest the thing, but wouldn't like
* plant Jim without sayn' suthin for him.
You all know what he wor, square man.
Srlt to the backbone, as ready to divvy his
asst iiapjack with friend as to shoot q foe
! say Larkey, what are you up toy
JaYkey had picked up bit of the loose red
hay dug from the grave and was rubbing il
.9etween his thumb and finger; a start and O
rarhoop from him cut short Dams remarks and
allied forth that exclamation.
"Color, boys, an lots of it."
The words were scarcely out Of his mouth
before the miner who had been last in the
-Y9ve tumbled back into it, and with hi.
fYnnt began scraping and pryng at the re
sls-ting rock, while the others crowded arounC
he heap of clay, tasting and testing it
Presently he brought up a heavy handful o
u dun yellowish hue. He was white a
ieath, and trembled all over as he muttered-
"A nugget, nugget! An took it for
niggerhead when was diggin' afore. Boys
lh5. 'eres my claim Git back while I STAKE
s CUT
A howl arose
Not much. Jake an me did fust diggin'
We go pards an take fust ch'ice."
Instantly hands dropped upon weapon
and scowling looks went around, but Dan
Mullen queled the threatening outbreak will
a fe1 cool, well directed words.
Seems to me, boys we'd better finish tn
job we hev on hand afore we pervide more o
this same sort. Jim Hardtacks goin' to 81
buried, an the chap what goes to stakin' GU
clam afore that's done he's got TO answe
20 zoe fur it."
I'm meant business, and they knew il
EveS the nugget finder gave in.
All right, so you don't bury him here
Il reckon as none Of MS II make that
pant now. Thars dip back here, an a spli
ia Ebe rocks most ready fur grave as it il
SS1posc we put him thar"
an agreed. The rough coffin was lowere
lucc the crevice which Dan pointed GU
IIetg-y pieces of rock were rolled down upo
it, and the whole was topped off with pi
Of hastily shoveled earth
L,nan excitement reigned: there was he